I'm Certainly Not One of Those Farmers Happy to Take a 3% Return - Stafford Ives-Heres (Rabobank Partner Ep)

Fourth-generation beef producer Stafford Ives-Heres is building Shanford Park on Tasmania's north-west coast with one eye firmly on the generations still to come. From starting with 10 cattle and working cray boats to fund his growth, to succession, leasing land and questioning whether owning more country always makes commercial sense, Stafford shares how he's thinking about building a family business that's valuable enough to be taken on, not simply sold. We chat about: Growing up at Shanford Park and being the last of four kids to become interested in farming Starting with 10 cattle as a teenager Working cray boats along Tasmania's remote west coast Using off-farm income to build livestock ownership Why the family moved from dairy into beef The beginnings of Tasmanian Seaweed Fertilisers Separating family businesses to make succession work Growing livestock numbers through ownership, leasing and share farming Why Stafford questions the need to own every hectare Building equity and optionality for the next generation Creating pathways into agriculture without owning land Why professional development and strong networks matter Chapters 00:00 The realities of regional connectivity 05:09 Meet Stafford Ives-Heres 06:17 Farming on Tasmania's north-west coast 10:21 Starting with 10 cattle 12:15 Leaving farming for the cray industry 16:24 Lessons from working at sea 18:01 From dairy farming to seaweed fertiliser 23:40 Separating businesses and navigating succession 25:36 Growing the beef business 28:29 Having children and thinking generations ahead 31:04 Playing the long game with land and scale 32:22 Professional development, equity and what's next 36:18 Leasing land and creating pathways into agriculture 39:05 Rabobank's Executive Development Program